The Music of Perfection
by Rose from the Dark
Summary: AU, Link wants to hear Sheik play his lyre. Sheik claims he doesn't play anymore. The reason why? Well, you'll just have to read to find out!


**A/N: This is just a little fluffy oneshot I came up with when I was not sleeping last night, in it Sheik is a boy and his own person, which means this will contain shounen-ai themes and cuteness and such. If you don't like that sort of thing, don't read it. If you do... enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Zelda**

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><p><strong>The Music of Perfection<strong>

"Please?" Link pleaded to his boyfriend after dragging him around to the back side of the lake. He and Sheik sat between the trunks of two curving trees growing near the water, each with their back pressed to one, facing each other.

The trees were shedding their soft white buds in favor of green summer leaves. Some petals had fallen into Link's hair and stuck there, peaking out amongst the gold. He looked damn cute. It just wasn't fair.

"There's no one here," he continued, big blue eyes wide, "I promise no one will hear…"

Sheik glared at him. But Link looked like a lost puppy. Sheik hated dogs. But he loved Link. This was a problem. He sighed. "I didn't even bring it with me, Link."

The grin that broke out across his boyfriend's face told Sheik that Link had already planned for this. Link reached beside him and into his backpack, they had come straight from school. "You didn't…" Sheik started to say, knowing full well that Link did.

"I asked Impa when I picked you up for school this morning," explained Link, "You know, while you were upstairs fixing your hair…" Link trailed off as Sheik blushed. He crossed his arms, clad in a long-sleeved blue tee, across his chest, trying to maintain some semblance of dignity.

"Ah, here it is," said Link with a grin so huge it was only matched by Sheik's scowl. Moments later Link held out a simple gold lyre to his boyfriend, his grin turning sheepish as Sheik's scowl deepened.

"No." Sheik hoped he sounded more resolute than he felt. He had played that thing for nine years. Nine grueling years of practice. And for what? _Nothing… _Sheik felt his scowl falter at the thought.

Or maybe it was Link's slightly trembling lower lip. A maneuver he had perfected to be the optimal offense to Sheik's defensiveness. "I hate you," said Sheik, reaching out and snatching the lyre out of his boyfriend's hands.

Link's face lit up with an excited smile. "I love you too, Sheik."

Sheik scowled again as he positioned the lyre in his hands, straightening his back, automatically – a positioning ingrained in his skull from the years upon years he had played this accursed instrument. Back when he didn't think of it as 'accursed' and actually looked forward to playing it each and every day when he got home from grade school.

That was before the audition. The audition to the best music school in Hyrule. The one Sheik dreamed about going to ever since he could remember.

He hadn't been the nervous the day of the audition. It was the end of eighth grade, his last year before high school. He had been playing the lyre since pre-school. He was ready.

Sheik didn't know how untrue that statement was.

The air was stifling in the auditorium where they held the audition. A single fan creaked loudly as its blades turned spastically in a far corner. Sheik didn't let the noise distract him. He tightened the bandages around his fingers, the ones that kept the blisters from hours of practice at bay, and put them to the strings.

And then he played. He played for a long time, the notes coming easily, like bubbles to the surface of his memory. And when he had finished he had smiled - actually _smiled_ - at the judge, knowing that he had not missed a single note.

Sheik's smile, however, did not last very long. It was hard to smile at someone whose frown looked that sad. "_You have so much potential, Sheik_," she had said, "_but…"_

"Sheik?" asked Link, cutting into his reverie, "Are you going to play?"

Sheik took one look at the expectant expression on Link's face and knew there was no way he could say no. He lost all resolve when it came to his boyfriend. But Sheik only had one song still memorized, the one song he had practiced and practiced with the hopes of getting into that school. _Maybe it will be different this time…_

Sheik set his fingers softly against the strings, taking a deep breath before beginning.

He played a song of places. Sheik liked to think of it as a medley of sorts. It began with almost a dance, like a minuet taking place amongst the trees of a forest, before becoming harsher, stricter, a mountain lording over a town. Then it flowed, like a river into a lake before darkening, the water dripping its last few lonely drops into the black crevice of an abandoned well. Until it shifted to sunlight, glaringly bright as it reflected off desert sand before ending with a prelude, so light and uplifting it could only be construed as hope. Hope for a better tomorrow. Hope that Sheik had felt upon finishing the song at the audition those years ago…

Sheik looked up at upon finishing to see the other boy staring at him. "Wow," said Link, "That sounded like it came just off the page."

Sheik's heart fell. "_But_," the judge had said, "_It sounded like it came right off the page. You can't just play what's given to you, Sheik, you have to put some of yourself in the music as well."_

"I'm sorry," said Sheik, looking away and trying to sound uninterested, despite the fact that he was fighting tears, "that I couldn't put enough of myself in the music for your taste, Link."

"What are you talking about?" asked Link, sounding confused.

"It's nothing," said Sheik, not wanting to elaborate on memories he wasn't particularly fond of. So what if Link agreed with his judge? The lady who had told him that the notes didn't matter if he couldn't find his place within them?

"It's not nothing," said Link.

Sheik looked back at Link, taking in the other boy's frown. Sheik hated to see Link frown. He sighed. "I was merely stating the fact that I know my music won't ever be as good as it could be because I can't 'put myself in the music.' I'm not expressive enough. It's just the way things-"

He didn't get a chance to finish for Link had chosen that moment to press his lips to Sheik's. But before Sheik's eyes could even widen in surprise, Link pulled away. "That's not true."

Sheik frowned again. "But you said so yourself. I sound like I'm playing straight from the page. And I don't even have the page in front of me."

"And that _is _you," said Link. He was still very close, leaning over Sheik, who had pressed himself back against the tree, trying to look away again. But Link wouldn't let him. He cupped Sheik's cheek in one hand and turned his face back towards him. Sheik blinked and looked down. He didn't want Link to see the tears that had welled up there.

"So basically, I'm boring," said Sheik quietly. It was basically what the judge had said, but it was worse hearing it from Link.

"When did I say that?" said Link, "You play in a way that is so… _you_."

Sheik couldn't help but smile at Link's lack of eloquence. "You don't have to coddle me, Link. You're not the first to tell me that."

"You mean I'm not the first to tell you that you play _perfect_?" asked Link with a frown, "But it would have been _way _more romantic that-"

He was cut off by Sheik, this time, pressing his lips to Link's. Sheik felt Link's lips curve into a smile against his as he slipped a hand behind Sheik's back, but didn't really register it. His mind was still stuck on what Link had implied. He had called Sheik… _perfect_. It was Sheik's turn to smile against his boyfriend's lips.

When they finally broke apart Link asked with a grin, "Did you do this to the last person that called you perfect too?"

"Shut up and kiss me Link," said Sheik flatly, succeeding surprisingly well at concealing his grin, as he grabbed the front of Link's green shirt.

But Link pulled away. "Uh-uh," said as if talking to a young child and Sheik pouted, fitting the part, "Not just yet. I want to do something first. Play your song again… and don't look."

Sheik cast Link a confused glance, but did as told. He picked up his lyre, positioning it once again into place, closed his eyes, and began to play. He had just come to the first pause when he heard it, the sweet, piercing sound of the ocarina - Link's ocarina – filling the gaps between the notes. Making the song _whole_.

When the song finally ended Link and Sheik looked at each other, Link with a huge grin, Sheik with a small smile. It was obvious that they were both thinking the same thing.

It only took a moment for Link to reposition himself at Sheik's side, slipping an arm around the smaller boy's waist. Sheik leaned his head against Link's shoulder as he felt Link's lips brush through his hair. "Sheik, you complete-" Link began to whisper, but Sheik cut him off.

"If you say anything sappy to ruin this moment, I may have to break my lyre over your head," said Sheik, trying his hardest to sound cross.

"Fine," conceded Link, but Sheik could hear the smile in his voice. He paused for a moment before asking, "Then can I go back to talking about how perfect you are?"

Sheik was sure his heart skipped a beat at those words and he wondered if Link noticed. "You still owe me that kiss," he said.

"I was hoping you'd say that," replied Link, twisting the other boy in his arms to face him, before pressing his lips to Sheik's. And there they stayed as the sun set over the water behind them, with Sheik not caring that he hadn't been perfect in the right way for that school. He was perfect enough for Link and that was all that really mattered.

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><p><strong>Awww... this story makes me happy... let me know what you think ^_^<strong>


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